Hands-On with Summoner 2

Saying that Summoner 2, THQ¿s sequel to the launch title RPG Summoner, is a little better than the original, would be a pretty substantial understatement. Summoner 2 has taken many of the original aspects of Summoner, and has improved on them all. Summoner was a commendable game, considering it was a launch title. Volition, known also for developing FreeSpace, Red Faction (and the upcoming Red Faction II), and the original Summoner, will develop for Summoner 2. We¿ve received an unfinished copy of the game, which is three levels long, and presumably the first three levels of the game. These three levels appear to be near the completion stage, as real-time cutscenes, voiceovers, and gameplay elements have all been implemented.The game starts off on a pirate-like ship, which is being boarded by pirates and where a thief is chased from Queen¿s inner sanctum. Who are you? Maia, the Queen of Halassar, adored by millions as the ¿goddess reborn,¿ and the savior of all creation. As a child, you were born with the mark of the summoner, and, as written in the Book of the Prophets, you are to rule the Kingdom of Halassar. Chasing this thief in the storm at sea is just the beginning of your adventure. The story appears to flow well, and the real-time cutscenes are well-made and interesting to watch, with subtly implemented character movement animations.Features

Utilize different combat skills in the new, multiple character combat system.

Discover over 30 colorful and artistic 3D settings, from the tropical isle of Teomura to the strange and mysterious City of Masks.

Explore the Kingdom of Halassar as Maia, the Queen, and interact with hundreds of NPCs.

Use Aosi, the ¿language of the gods,¿ to transform into 12 mighty summons, ranging from the Blood Juggernaut to the Blade of Sand.

Form your own party of three out of eight distinctive characters, each with specific attacks and spells.

Tailor your characters to your own tastes through an adaptable skill system. Choose from a number of different types of personas, from strong warriors to magic users.

First, the technical aspects. The load times in our test version are quicker than the load times in Summoner, the graphics are smoother, higher poly, and better overall. The frame rate has improved and the game looks like it runs at a constant 30 fps. Character fighting animations, while repetitive in the beginning, will change and impress you as you obtain different combat skills, spells, and summonings. The first summon of the game, the Blood Juggernaut, looks remarkable when attained and used. Summoning in this game is a bit like summoning in Final Fantasy VIII -- you are unable to skip the summon animation, which can be repetitive after the first couple times. This may become a problem if you choose Maia, because while you¿re summoning into the Blood Juggernaut, your other character(s) are being pummeled, and there is nothing you can do about it, since you can¿t switch to your other characters while summoning. Fast thinkers will learn that they can, however, quickly switch from Maia to one of the other two characters right after activating a summon spell, which takes care of that dilemma.Gamers may remember a few of the gripes they had with Summoner, such as the sometimes unmovable camera angle, the seemingly unending text boxes, and the debatable combat system. All of these have been fixed in Summoner 2, and the change in the overall feel of the game is very noticeable. The camera angle is now completely movable, enabling you to see the leading heroine, Maia, from any direction. Many of the text boxes, which were originally the NPCs talking, and Joseph (hero of Summoner) asking one-word questions, followed by more NPC talk, are now replaced with full dialogue from both sides, as well as many much-welcomed voiceovers. While the voiceovers are done well, there are a few lines that lack voices in the middle of a cutscene, which will most likely be fixed before the final version.I labeled the combat system in the original as ¿debatable,¿ because many gamers became frustrated with trying to time each chain attack correctly(a bit like Legend of Dragoon). In this system, players would press ¿X¿ to begin the sequence of attacks, assign Dpad directions to four different ¿chain attacks,¿ and would try to time each chain attack so you could theoretically go on as long as your skills in chain attacks would allow you to. Of course, this kind of system gets pretty tiring after many hours of timing hits and nothing else, so Volition decided to replace the old system with a new, more interactive system. This system fully utilizes the buttons on the controller, by making the player press a button for each attack. Gone are the chain attacks, which are replaced by a three-hit combo system, ¿ la Phantasy Star Online. This system really brings the player into the game, giving the feeling that they are actually in the game, as Maia, fighting enemies.This combat system isn¿t perfect, though. Learning it and getting used to which button does which action are tough at first, but it becomes a pretty rewarding experience once you have mastered it. Dodging and blocking are both crucial parts of learning to fight, and combining those with your well-timed attacks is what will end up saving yourself in the end. One gripe I have with this system is that quicker enemies can strafe around you, get around your shield and backstab you before you have a chance to turn around and block. Strafing around your enemy (which you will need to do often to be an efficient combatant) is a tough part of the game, even when you are locked on.Leveling up yourself and your skills is nearly identical to Summoner, in that your HP and AP maximum capacity increase, while you have two skill points to allocate to whichever skills you want to build up. Examples of these skills include summoning, combat skills, parrying, and healing. For example, once you develop summoning to level 6, you can have your Summon go ¿berserk,' in a sense, meaning you lose control while it gets stronger. Or, if you build up Maia¿s Halassar Combat skills, you obtain an ¿Ignite¿ skill, which is a fire attack, as opposed to the usual sword slicing. Increasing these skills is the motivation to fight enemies in the game ¿ gain experience to obtain more skills, while increasing your damage.The multi-character party system is similar to the original, with AI profiles that you can choose from while the computer is controlling them. Three characters can be in the party at once, and the key to winning fights easily is to use all three on the same enemy. The same strategy goes for the enemy, though, and if you find yourself separated in Solo Mode and surrounded by enemies, chances are, you won't be able to defeat them all. The only thing left to be desired would be some type of multiplayer aspect, because this type of party system would work very well as a multiplayer game.With only a little over a month left before its release, Summoner 2 is already a far better game than its predecessor. Filled with a cast of unique characters, countless NPCs, more than 30 original levels, 12 new summons, and an immersive storyline, Summoner 2 should give Volition and THQ a chance to show off an impressive RPG, and make a big name for the Summoner series. Needless to say, if you enjoyed the first Summoner, chances are, you will have a good time with the sequel.